Egg escalator belt assembly

ABSTRACT

An escalator belt assembly for transferring eggs or like objects to different elevational levels including an array of outer resilient deformable article contacting, carrying and transferring members and an inner endless transmission member in driving relationship with at least two wheel members. The array of outer resilient deformable article of contacting, carrying and transferring members in operation include portions extending and moving in a non-horizontal direction and cooperating with a belt having a portion extending parallel thereto and providing a sandwich-like relationship for clamping eggs or like objects therebetween. The transmission member being in the form of a chain or a V-belt.

United States Patent [191 Siciliano [451 July 3, 1973 EGG ESCALATOR BELT ASSEMBLY Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-James W. Miller 75 l t t i ili V l d, NJ. nven or An hony J S c ano, me an Atmmey Karl w. Hooks [73] Assignee: Diamond International Corporation,

New York, NY. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Elm: 1971 An escalator belt assembly for transferring eggs or like [21] App]. NO; 171,248 objects to different elevational levels including an array of outer resilient deformable article contacting, carrying and transferring members and an inner endless [2?] $5.81. transmission member in driving relationship with at q i 8 g 19 least two wheel members. The array of outer resilient 1 0 3 deformable article of contacting, carrying and transferring members in operation include portions extending [56] References Clted and moving in a non-horizontal direction and cooperat- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing with a belt having a portion extending parallel 2,195,371 3/1940 Moore 198/165 thereto and providing a sandwich-like relationship for 1,91 1,961 5/1933 Melnick 198/162 clamping eggs or like objects therebetween. The trans- 3,3i5,789 EgiCS mission member being in the form of a chain or a V- 2,930,478 3/1960 Ruffino l98/l93 X belt. 3,179,237 4/1965 Ninneman 198/165 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PMENIEUJUL 3 1975 SNEH1BF4 ANTHONY J. SICILIANO K xk kl F ecfl v ATTORNEY PATENIEBJuLs ma SHEH 2 OF 4 INVENTOR ANTHONY J. SICI LIANO m QC ATTORNEY PATENIEUJULB I975 3.743.079

INVENTOR J. SICILIANO ANTHONY PAIENIEUJULB I975 SHE] '4 BF 4 FIG. 6.

INVENTOR ANTHONY J. SICILIANO EGG ESCALATOR BELT ASSEMBLY FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to escalator belt assemblies and more particularly to an escalator belt assembly for automatically transferring eggs or like objects from one elevational level to another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the previously known escalator belt assemblies for eggs and like objects resiliently deformable bands were generally glued directly to a transmission belt member. Another way of assembling these belts would be to glue an entire sponge-like resilient section to a cloth belt which in turn was attached to a V-belt section with screws spaced approximately every three inches. In such assemblies it was necessary to allow the cloth or backing member to gather on the straight pull since the cloth or backing member had to ride piggyback over the transmission belt. As the assembly rode around a pulley, the gathered belt would straighten out. This constant gathering and stretching of the assembly resulted in short escalator belt assembly life. Replacement of the entire assembly was necessary and, of course, expensive.

Examples of prior escalator belt assemblies of the general type described above are disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,319,776 and U. S. Pat. No. 3,446,332.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a new and improved escalator belt assembly for eggs and like objects in which the escalator belt comprises a resiliently deformable load carrying section and a transmissions section, portions of which are detachably connected to each other, thus affording the facility of replacing worn parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a more economical escalator belt assembly.

An additional object of this invention is to simplify replacement of the escalator belt assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide an escalator belt assembly in which components thereof are easily replaced.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an escalator belt assembly which in operation is not affected by humidity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a side elevational view of the escalator belt assembly according to my invention;

FIG. 2 represents a segment of one embodiment of an escalator band according to my invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of the escalator band shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 33;

FIG. 4 shows detail of a connector link of the escalator of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 represents a further embodiment of the escalator band according to my invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the article contacting, carrying and transferring section of the escalator band of FIG. 5 prior to assembly and with portions broken away;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the article contacting and transferring section shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the escalator band assembly taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the escalator belt assembly according to my invention is shown in FIG. 1 as including an endless escalator band 10 comprising an array of radially outer resilient members 11 for deformably contacting, carrying and transferring eggs such as E or like objects from an elevational level L, to another elevational level L,. The resilient members may be of sponge-like foam material and in the form of pads or a single web with a plurality of slits. The escalator band 10 also includes a radially inner transmission member 12 to which the array of radially outer resilient members 11 are secured. It is noted that in accordance with this invention portions of the array of resilient members 11 and the transmission member 12 are assembled in detachably secured relationship to simplify assembling and to facilitate the replacing of only parts needing replacement, as will be more specifically described hereinbelow.

In operation the conveyor band 10 is trained over a pair of drive wheels 13 and 14 which are rotatably supported on a frame member 21. It is to be clear that the escalator band 10 may be used to raise eggs from a lower level L to a higher level L, as well as to transfer them from a higher level L, to a lower level L By way of example, however, it is noted that eggs fed into the escalator system at level L, are sandwiched between a belt 15 trained over drive wheels 16 and 17, and the resilient member 11 which deformably compress eggs E fed therebetween in sandwich-like relationship. This yieldable compression of members 11 against an egg E and belt 15 prevents rolling of the eggs E due to gravity 7 and provides for a gentle deposit of the egg E, at the next level L The belt 15 is shown as a flat belt but it could be similar in construction to the escalator band 10. Members 18 and 19 are tension idlers for the belt 15. Reference 20 designates an adjustment means for the drive wheel 14, whereby its distance from wheel 13 is adjusted to facilitate belt installation and to take up slack.

Although FIG. 1 shows the lower run of the escalator band 10 as being provided with the belt 15 spaced therefrom for transferring eggs from level L, to level,, it is clear that the upper run of escalator band 10 .may be provided with a spaced parallel portion of a belt similar to belt 15 to perform the transferring function thereat.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2-4 of my invention are shown details of an escalator band in which an array of radially outer resilient pads 111 are secure as by bonding to rigid strips 116, for example, by a layer of glue or cement 117. The escalator band 100 also includes a radially inner transmission member 112 in the form of a link chain provided with alternate conventional links 113 and connector links 114, which include transversely extending flat plates 115. As is conventional, the connector links 114 are detachably secured to the links 113 and may if desired by replaced individually. The plate 115 is provided with a pair of spaced apertures 118 to receive rivets 119 which pass through and secure the rigid strips 116 to the connector links 112. From the foregoing, it is clear that in the event that some of the resilient pads 111 become damaged or excessively worn from use, these pads along with their respective connector links 114 may be individually replaced while the serviceable pads 111 are retained for further use instead of being replaced along with the damaged or worn pads as in escalator bands of the prior art.

According to a further embodiment of my invention as shown in FIGS. 5-8, an escalator band 210 comprises an array of radially outer resilient article contacting, carrying and transporting members 211 bonded to a flat backing of plastic material 215. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 opposite ends 217 and 218 of the backing 215 are reinforced by strips of glass tape 225 bonded thereto. Holes are formed in the ends 217 and 218 of the backing 215 and provided with reinforcing eyelets 226 and 226'. The escalator band 210 also comprises a radially inner transmission member 212 which is in the form ofa V-belt. The V-belt member 212 comprises a pair of opposite ends 221 and 222 which are held together by a pair of plates 223 and 224. The outer article contacting, carrying and transferring members 211 are assembled onto the inner transmission member with the ends 218 superposed over the end 217 and angularly spaced from the ends 221 and 222 of the transmission member 212 approximately 180 therefrom. The outer article contacting, carrying and transferring member 211 is then secured to the inner transmission belt member 212 by a single screw 219 inserted into the aligned apertures 226 and 226 and screwed into the transmission belt 212. Insertion of the screw 219 is facilitated by a cut out portion 219 in the pad member 211. Thus the escalator band assembly 210 is made up of a V-belt to which a section of plastic belt 215 with foam pads secured to it is attached by one screw. Replacement of the outer plastic belt 215 and the array of foam pad 211 is quickly and easily accomplished since the attachment is provided for by a single screw 219. A further advantage resulting from the use of a single attaching screw 219 is that the assembly is not affected by atmospheric conditions as in the previously known escalator bands in which expansion and contraction impaired the normal function of the belt. Further, attachment of the escalator band members by the single screw 219 affords the arrangement of a free floating sponge belt attached to a V-belt transmission and tracking element which avoids the constant gathering and stretching of the outer escalator member superposed over an inner belt member, riding in piggy-back relationship in the previously used escalator bands of the prior art.

In operation the escalator band 210 is trained over a pair of pulley wheels 213 and 214. To facilitate installation of the escalator band 210 over pulleys 213 and 214 and also to adjust the belt tension adjustable screw mechanisms 220 are provided to position pulley 214.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes and details of construction and a combination in arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An escalator band for use in transferring eggs or like objects to different elevational levels comprising an inner endless transmission member with a radially outer surface to which outer endless conveying means are secured, said outer conveying means being of substantial lateral width and constituted by an array of resilient sponge-like members for deformably contacting, carrying and transferring eggs or like object from one elevational level to another, said outer conveying means also including inner backing means to which the sponge-like members are fixedly attached, said inner backing means being attached to the radially outer surface of said inner endless transmission member with at least a part of said outer conveying means being detachable from the band and replaceable, said inner endless transmission member being relatively narrow in lateral width and disposed generally along a plane normal to said outer conveying means and passing midway between opposite edges of said conveying means, said inner endless transmission member being in the form of a Vbelt, and said inner backing means of said outer endless conveying means is in the form of a flat belt member detachably secured to said V-belt by a single screw extending through said flat belt and into said V- belt whereby a free floating relationship is effected between said outer endless conveying means and said inner endless transmission member which allows a degree of tracking therebetween to prevent constant gathering and stretching of said outer endless conveying means normally attendant with changing atmospheric conditions, and an array of foam material is secured on the outer surface of said flat belt member to constitute said sponge-like member.

2. An escalator band in accordance with claim 1 wherein said array of foam material comprises a plurality of individual foam pads each of which is bonded to said flat belt member.

3. An escalator band in accordance with claim 1 wherein said array of foam material comprises a single block with a plurality of slits formed therein to provide a plurality of radially extending partial pad members.

4. An escalator band in accordance with claim 3 wherein said flat belt member is of plastic material.

5. An escalator band in accordance with claim 4 wherein said flat belt member includes a pair of overlapping end portions each of which includes a strip of reinforcing glass tape, aligned apertures formed in said end portions and said strips of reinforcing glass tape, and insert eyelets in said aligned apertures in surrounding relationship to said single screw.

6. The endless escalator band of claim 1 in combination with at least two wheel members whereby a portion of said band extends in a non-horizontal direction so as to travel either in an upwardly or a downwardly direction.

7. The arrangement in accordance with claim 6 in combination with an additional belt member having an expanse substantially parallel to but spaced apart from the portion of said escalator band extending in a non horizontal direction, said portion and said expanse being spaced such a distance as to cooperatively grip eggs or like objects which may come therebetween and to thus firmly grip in sandwich-like relationship and carry said eggs or like objects upwardly or downwardly. 1r 

1. An escalator band for use in transferring eggs or like objects to different elevational levels comprising an inner endless transmission member with a radially outer surface to which outer endless conveying means are secured, said outer conveying means being of substantial lateral width and constituted by an array of resilient sponge-like members for deformably contacting, carrying and transferring eggs or like object from one elevational level to another, said outer conveying means also including inner backing means to which the sponge-like members are fixedly attached, said inner backing means being attached to the radially outer surface of said inner endless transmission member with at least a part of said outer conveying means being detachable from the band and replaceable, said inner endless transmission member being relatively narrow in lateral width and disposed generaLly along a plane normal to said outer conveying means and passing midway between opposite edges of said conveying means, said inner endless transmission member being in the form of a V-belt, and said inner backing means of said outer endless conveying means is in the form of a flat belt member detachably secured to said V-belt by a single screw extending through said flat belt and into said V-belt whereby a free floating relationship is effected between said outer endless conveying means and said inner endless transmission member which allows a degree of tracking therebetween to prevent constant gathering and stretching of said outer endless conveying means normally attendant with changing atmospheric conditions, and an array of foam material is secured on the outer surface of said flat belt member to constitute said sponge-like member.
 2. An escalator band in accordance with claim 1 wherein said array of foam material comprises a plurality of individual foam pads each of which is bonded to said flat belt member.
 3. An escalator band in accordance with claim 1 wherein said array of foam material comprises a single block with a plurality of slits formed therein to provide a plurality of radially extending partial pad members.
 4. An escalator band in accordance with claim 3 wherein said flat belt member is of plastic material.
 5. An escalator band in accordance with claim 4 wherein said flat belt member includes a pair of overlapping end portions each of which includes a strip of reinforcing glass tape, aligned apertures formed in said end portions and said strips of reinforcing glass tape, and insert eyelets in said aligned apertures in surrounding relationship to said single screw.
 6. The endless escalator band of claim 1 in combination with at least two wheel members whereby a portion of said band extends in a non-horizontal direction so as to travel either in an upwardly or a downwardly direction.
 7. The arrangement in accordance with claim 6 in combination with an additional belt member having an expanse substantially parallel to but spaced apart from the portion of said escalator band extending in a non-horizontal direction, said portion and said expanse being spaced such a distance as to cooperatively grip eggs or like objects which may come therebetween and to thus firmly grip in sandwich-like relationship and carry said eggs or like objects upwardly or downwardly. 